Industrial Revolution 4.0 is changing the world and the geospatial sector must change with it. New technologies, varied data sources and user demand require a next-generation geospatial infrastructure that embraces automation, dynamicity and real-time delivery of knowledge.
Realizing this need, Geospatial Media and Communications has been working on a project directed towards advancing the role of Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure (GKI) in World Economy, Society, and Environment since January 2020. We are working with the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) to develop a collaborative approach for projecting the value proposition of Geospatial Knowledge, and forecasting its relevance and connectivity with fundamentals of next generation economy and society.
User engagement, partnerships – crucial ingredients
While uncovering the key topics of GKI in an extensive Webinar on July 8, 2020, ‘Collaboration’ emerged as a strong building component. It was clearly established that governments, industry, academia, citizens and users – all need to come together to increase the use of geospatial data, information and knowledge and set the conditions for better evidence-based decisions.
As Paul Janssen, Geo-standardisation Expert, Social Engineering, Geonovum, The Netherlands mentions, “GKI is far too vast to be accomplished by few entities, it needs collaboration at global level. Connection needs to take place at all geographic levels. It has to happen at local, national and international levels. The geospatial community has to look outward. We have been doing this and we need to do it more with GKI.”
Views of Basanta Shreshtha, Director of Strategic Cooperation, International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Nepal reinforce the need for collaboration for creating a strong Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure. He shares, “We must bring different actors together. We need to empower local authorities to use geospatial information. Capacity building is also necessary. Partnerships should also be made to create an enabling framework, a policy environment in terms of data.”
Albert H. Anoubon Momo, Vice President & Executive Director, Emerging Market and Funded Projects, Trimble, USA takes the discussion further by saying, “User engagement is a necessary element of a successful GKI. Users can be producers as well. Thus, we must produce and implement things keeping users in mind. People should not be working in silos. We need more participatory engagement so as to do need assessment effectively. It is also very important to assess the success of implementation of GKI from time to time.”
Partnership is difficult and needs common purpose. The derivation of knowledge and value from integration of analytics and information and disruption through integrating new technologies in novel ways, are two such purposes, which members of the Geospatial ecosystem must focus on for creating the new-age Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure.
Also Read: Geospatial Infrastructure Development through Public Private Partnership
